A power capacitor is usually composed of a plurality of parallel-connected strings of a number of sub-capacitors, so-called capacitor elements. Each string comprises a plurality of series-connected capacitor elements. Each capacitor element comprises a number of very thin layers of electrodes of thin aluminium foils separated by films of dielectric material, usually in the form of polymer films wound into a roll which is flattened to be capable of being optimally stacked into a package. The package is placed in a capacitor container filled with an electrically insulating liquid. The capacitor elements are interconnected in a matrix and are connected to two insulating bushings, whereby the number of series-connected and parallel-connected capacitor elements, respectively, is determined by the capacitance desired in the capacitor. Usually, also a fuse is connected in series with each element. In addition to elements and fuses, the capacitor also comprises special resistors for discharge of residual charges.
In certain commercially available capacitors, the capacitor elements are arranged such that the aluminium foil of the first electrode at the first end surface of the capacitor element projects outside the edge of the polymer films, whereas at the same first end surface of the capacitor element, the edge of the second adjacent aluminium foil, serving as an opposite electrode, is arranged with its edge inside the edge of the polymer films. In a corresponding way, the aluminium foil of the second electrode is arranged such that, at the second end surface of the capacitor element, it projects outside the edge of the polymer films, whereas the edge of the aluminium foil of the first electrode at the second end surface is arranged with its edge inside the edge of the polymer films.
The capacitor elements are arranged with leads connected to the respective electrode at the respective end surface. The leads, in their turn, are connected to fuses, discharge resistors, busbars, or other devices for interconnection of the capacitor elements or for connection to the insulated bushings.
Usually, the leads are connected to the aluminium foils, which constitute electrodes, by soldering. To make possible this soldering, a first pre-soldering is required. The object of the first pre-soldering is to remove the aluminium oxide that constitutes the surface layer of the aluminium foil, and to create a surface on the capacitor element against which the lead may be soldered with an acceptable soldering result. The solder that is used in the pre-soldering consists, for example, of 75% tin and 25% zinc.
After the first pre-soldering, a second pre-soldering is usually carried out. During the second pre-soldering, a solder cake is created on the first pre-soldering, into which the lead may be soldered. The solder used during the second pre-soldering consists, for example, of 50% tin and 50% lead.
In known methods for supplying solder, for example in the form of pellets or wire, for the above-described first pre-soldering, the solder tip tends to be coated and oxidized. For this reason, it has not been possible to automate the first pre-soldering but it has been necessary to use a manual method that permits an operator to adapt the soldering to the degree of coating and oxidation of the soldering tip, and, where necessary, to clean the solder tip. The manual method also becomes operator-dependent and therefore runs the risk of resulting in a non-uniform quality.